Cozy @ Home Crocheting

I started this pattern over a year ago.  It was a free daily pattern from www.annies.attic.com (free for one day only), and was published in Hooks only Crochet From Start to Finish in 2006.  After starting it, I lost my printout.   I was so mad at myself for losing it, that I refused to print another and said I'd finish it when the pattern showed up!   Well, it did, and I actually finished it today!  It is one of the 3 doilies by Judy Teague Treece, the set being called "Pretty Pineapples".  Mine is the 2nd one given of the set, and shown in aqua on the pattern picture.   It uses #10 thread and #7 hook.   I don't know the actual name of the color, but it is a bright gold by Aunt Lydia.

I've drug my feet in posting this, but don't feel right not giving her the recognition she deserves.   She lived outside in all weather for years and years, producing litter after litter and bravely fighting off blizzards and starvation to save her kittens, although many were lost to various illnesses.  When I found out about her plight I took her and her 2 sick kittens in.  I was afraid she wouldn't want to be in, after living outside so long,   but to my surprise and thrill she settled right down on the couch and began purring in utter contentment, she said she always wanted a forever home, and was so happy to have one.   After 5 years of sharing our lives, on June 11, her life was tragically and brutally ended, which I won't go into.   I can only say how shocked and horrified we were to lose her, and although we affectionately called her 'Greedy', because she wanted ALL the head pets, in truth, she was Little Braveheart, who suffered all the elements and weather extremes, and cared for her kittens until she & her kittens found a home here with us.

To my beloved Greedy, who never asked for more than that the top of her head be petted... a lot

FINALLY, I get something done.   I have been very busy lately, and have found it hard to sit still for just a few minutes to finish anything.   These are a gift for a special person.   They are just grandmother's favorite dishcloth, but done in the Hobby Lobby baby yarn (Bee Pitter Patter).  This is like a cuddly texture, and I use 2 strands together.   One is using a white and a soft blue strand, and the other is using a light blue and light mauve strand.  This yarn makes a very cuddly soft wash cloth, and it doesn't take a good pic, because the outside edge tends to be smaller than the inside so it cups if you want to lay it flat, but they FEEL so luxurious.  Now I can mail these, at last :)

I just finished this Squidge Dishcloth, using Peaches & Cream, in color GUMDROP.  I did add 6 garter rows for a top and bottom edge, but liked the sides the way they were, so didn't do side borders.  Pattern is here:

http://knit-nutt.blogspot.com/2008/01/squidge-cloth.html

This was a simple cloth, but I got distracted for a couple of days and didn't finish right away.  It's a huge cloth, mine is 13"x14".   Will make a nice drying cloth.  The  cotton yarn is Sugar 'n Cream in Natural Ombre, but the 2 edging rnds are just in the white.  It looks short in the top right hand corner, but it's only because I couldn't see over the cup to know that it needed straightening, as I was holding the camera high over the cloth and not able to see the digital display.

Pattern is by Priscilla Hewitt and called Wasboard Dishcloth.  The link is here:

http://hometown.aol.com/crochetalong/wbdc.html

 

I'm working on a doily, and it's going pretty good, but somehow a conversation with another and I got interested in this little potholder pattern, and it was so fast and simple, I just had to do it.

Citrus Pot Holder by Jennifer Sauter from 101 Easy Scrap Crochet Projects (HOWB), pgs 107&110. For size info, the little round oranges are those small clementines.  It's about 7" as is, don't know if I'll need to add to it when washed and dried incase it gets a lot smaller with shrinkage!

Use any cotton worsted weight. I’m not sure you can tell from the pic, but the divisions in the cloth are post stitches.
The pattern changed color each round, I didn’t, I only changed on the last round, rnd 7. Also, the pattern calls for you to make 2, 7 rnds each, and then have 2 rnds that crochet them together. I think if you were using acrylic to make this for a potholder, you should do that, or the heat will come thru. But for me, I think cotton would never dry when you washed it if there were 2 layers, and I also would like it for a dishcloth, so I just made one layer, using the H hook. The smaller hook, #E, is called for on the last 2 rnds that stitch the sides together, which I didn’t do.
The amount of yarn used was reallly small, it weighs less than an ounce, and there are 2.5oz in a solid, and 2oz in a variegated ball. Was done in something like an hour - so very easy and I love it.

Here's another one, this one is Peaches & Creme Pepercorn Ombre from cone (see previous post for info on pattern):

In only a few hours I was able to finish this delightful crochet dishcloth!   It was a new technique for me and I had lots of questions, but if I can catch on, anyone can!   I've noticed that crochet dishcloths often feel too stiff and thick, but not this one.  Maybe it's because of the ch 3 loop that the 3 dc are built on, that makes all these little slits thru the cloth, allowing the cloth to bend and be flexible.  

Because my beginning chain is always too tight, I did it with a J hook, but then switched to the G hook that the pattern calls for with the first row.  I'm finding that I need to start with 36 st to have it come out even on the end for me.   This is Peaches & Creme, color #198 Black Cherry, that I bought online at www.peaches-cream.com 

When my son was born, he was gifted an afghan with this stitch, and I always MEANT to learn it, but as usual....didn't get around to it.   So, I was delighted to see this pattern worked out for me, and you can find it too, right here:

http://foothillsofthegreatsmokymountains.blogspot.com/2008/03/tulip-stitch-cloth.html

 

Here's my recent dishcloths, with the 1st done at the bottom &  the most recent, on top.

I just finished this one, it's done in Sugar 'n Cream, Emerald, with #7 needles.

From site:  http://digknittydesigns.blogspot.com

I hope to get a better pic, this is without flash and dull looking:

These next 2 are the same pattern, just 2 different colors,

 from:  http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/kkc-dishCloths.html

I liked using variegated on this pattern because of the little "O's" that appear when the color falls just right.  The green one I just finished yesterday and is Peaches & Creme, "Shades of Green", #7 needles for both.    The reddish one I finished March 12.  It was Sugar 'n Cream "Over the Rainbow".   I was worried when the white blotches started appearing, but as I went on, they worked out their own checkerboard pattern, and I kinda liked it.

 

This is the most adorable little Chick pattern from Digknitty!   I'm not sure what color it looks to you, because when my laptop screen is back more, it looks orange, when it is forward, it looks light yellow - which is more like it really is.  I used 7 needles and Lion Cotton in color Banana.

Her patterns are here:  http://digknittydesigns.blogspot.com/